No let-up in violent crimes

The only fault of Rabbi, a resident of the capital's Jafrabad area, was that he questioned two unknown young men loitering near his home late at night on May 15.

A little later, a group of 10 to 12 men armed with sharp weapons stormed his house and attacked seven members of his family before fleeing, leaving a trail of blood and panic in the neighbourhood.

Two months on, the scars remain. Two of the victims are still fighting for life in the intensive care unit, while the rest continue to live with physical, emotional, and financial trauma.

In recent months, a string of brutal crimes like this across the capital and beyond, many caught on camera and spread on social media, has added to public fear and frustration over law and order.

Data from the Police Headquarters (PHQ) shows violent crimes rose in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024 across nearly all major categories.

The number of murder cases increased to 1,930, compared to 1,533 in the same period last year, marking an around 26 percent increase. Police, however, clarified that more than 400 of this year's murder cases were filed over incidents that had actually taken place last year, especially during and after the uprising.

Kidnapping incidents rose by a staggering 64.50 percent, the highest year-on-year increase in any category, with 515 reported cases, up from 313 in the same period last year.

Dacoity and robbery jumped 53.4 percent. A total of 1,336 such cases were recorded in the first half of 2025, compared to 871 during the same period of 2024.

Crimes against women and children also rose by 22.29 percent in the first half of 2025, with 11,008 cases compared to 9,002 in the same period last year.

During this period, 2,744 rapes were reported -- just over 15 cases a day -- and 2,159 cases of violence against children were recorded, averaging 12 incidents per day.

According to data from Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), at least 111 women were killed by their husbands between January and June this year. Additionally, 33 women were murdered by in-laws and 29 by other family members.

Meanwhile, 111 people were killed in mob violence during the first eight months of 2025, according to ASK's latest data published on August 12.

SPATE OF VIOLENT CRIMES

The violent crime spree continued this year despite repeated warnings from law enforcement officials and government advisers.

One incident that sparked nationwide outrage was the killing of Ruplal Robidas, 40, and his relative Pradeep Lal Robidas, 35, in Rangpur's Taraganj upazila. On August 9, a mob beat them to death, suspecting them of van theft. Ruplal was a cobbler, and Pradeep drove a rickshaw van. Reports said 12 to 14 policemen were present at the scene but left without rescuing the victims.

Exactly a month earlier, on July 9, an Old Dhaka trader, Sohag, also known as Lal Chand, was crushed to death with concrete blocks in front of horrified witnesses, near an Ansar camp by Mitford Hospital.

On Thursday, a woman and her daughter were found dead, their throats slit, at their home in a remote area of Ramgarh upazila in Khagrachhari. Police are investigating but have yet to determine the motive.

On June 10, a man was found dead in Mirpur-11, his hands cuffed and legs tied, his body riddled with hack wounds. His mother, Rozina Begum, said he had survived a similar attack just 10 days prior. Autopsy reports confirmed an older injury on his arm had not yet healed.

Another heartbreaking case is the murder of five-year-old Roza Moni. She went missing on May 12 and was found the next day inside a sack near her home in Tejgaon's Tejkunipara. Her tiny body, wrapped in three layers of bags, was discarded like garbage.

Earlier in May, two masked assailants shot dead Kamrul Ahsan Shadhon, 52, joint convener of BNP's Gulshan unit, in Badda's Gudaraghat area. CCTV footage of the incident went viral.

On May 31, two suspected criminals were beaten to death by a mob in the capital's Darus Salam area in broad daylight.

GOVT ADMISSION AND AN UNSTABLE SYSTEM

Criminologists say the country is facing a breakdown in governance, where weak state response and lack of accountability are emboldening criminals.

Top police officials have repeatedly said that "lost morale" in the police force since last year's mass uprising has affected its ability to tackle crimes effectively.

Last month, after the brutal killing at Mitford, Inspector General of Police Mohammad Baharul Alam admitted that the police were yet to regain full control following last year's traumatic events. "You may say we haven't been 100 percent successful. Maybe not even 50 percent," he said.

On August 18, Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury acknowledged that mob violence continues in parts of the country despite government efforts. He added that such incidents have decreased in and around the capital but still occur outside it, citing the Rangpur case as an example.

AHM Shahadat Hossain, assistant inspector general (Media and PR) at PHQ, yesterday said that police are responding promptly to violent crimes.

"We are trying our best to tackle the situation. In some cases, we have nabbed culprits within 24 hours," he said, adding that senior officials are monitoring the situation closely.

Omar Faruk, professor at the Department of Criminology and Police Science at Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, said the country is currently operating under an unstable system where anything can happen, and the state shows little responsibility.

"They are merely carrying out routine tasks, showing no willingness to take accountability. Due to weak governance, criminals feel emboldened, knowing they can often escape consequences. Multiple ideologies are at play -- some former victims now seek retaliation. As a result, both visible and hidden forms of violence may continue," he said.

Faruk added that ideological conflicts also limit the government's ability to act effectively. "The state lacks the capacity and skill to govern properly. Unless it breaks out of this cycle, we may face more serious consequences in the future."